Socio - economic and Political changes which occurred in western Europe between the 9th and 16th Centuries. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Many groups of Germanic People occupied regions of Italy, Spain and France. The three orders are three social categories : Christian priests, landowning nobles and peasants . The term 'feudalism' has been used by historians to describe the economic, legal, polital and social relationships that existed in Europe in the medieval era. The Three order First Order
Priests (The Clergy) - The Catholic Church - Europe guided by bishops and clerics. - Pope lived in Rome - Women could not be become priests - Monks - The church and Society
Second Order Nobles - Vassals of the king - enjoyed a privileged status - Absolute control over property - Could raise troops - even coin his own money
Third Order - Peasants - Free peasants and scrfs - Scrfs cultivated plots of land, but these belonged to the lord.
A Manorial Estate : Factors affecting Social and Economic Relations. The Environment Land use New Agricultural Technology Urbanisation Cathedral - Towns :
From the twelfth century, large churches - called cathedrals - were being built in France. These belonged to the monasteries Cathedrals were built of stone. The area around the cathedrals became more populated and they became centres of pilgrimage. Small towns developed around them. Stained glass was used for windows of the Cathedrals. During the day the sunlight would make the radiant and after Sunset, the light of candles would make them visible to people outside. The stained glass narrated the stories in the Bible through Pictures.
The Crisis of the Fourteenth Century In Europe economic expansion slowed down. This was due to three factors.1. In Northern Europe, by the end of the thirteenth century the warm summers of the previous 300 years had given way to bitterly cold summers. Seasons for growing crops were reduced by a month.2. Trade was hit by a severe shortage of metal money because of a shortfall in the output of silver mines in Austria and Serbia. This forced governments to reduce the silver content of the currency and to mix it with cheaper metals.3. Ships carrying goods from distant countries had started arriving in European ports. The ships came with rats carrying deadly bubonic plague infection ( the Black Death).
Political Changes : In the 15th and 16th Centuries, European kings strengthened their military and financial power. The new monarchs, Louis XI in France, Maximilian in Austria, Henry VII in England and Isabelle and Ferdinand in spain were absolutist rulers.
Sources : Hever Castle in England, Salisbury Cathedral in England, Nemours Castle in France, Canterbury Tales written by Chaucer.
Time Line : Early History of France : refer to Page No. 134 of t he text book Eleventh to Fourteenth Centuries - refer to Page No. 149 of the text book The New Monarchy :
Key Words Feudalism : Derived from the German word 'feud', which means a piece of Land', it refers to the kind of society that developed in medieval France and later in England and Italy. Abbey : It is derived from the Syrica abba, meaning father. An abbey was governed by an abbot or an abess. Doon de Mayence : A thirteenth century French poem to be sung recounting the adventures of Knights. Monastery : The word 'monastery' is derived from the greek word 'monos', meaning someone who lives alone The Black Death : Ships with rats carrying the deadly bubonic plague infection in Western Europe between 1347 and 1350. Fourth Order : The bigger towns had populations of about 30,000. They could be said to have formed'fourth' order. ................................................................................................ Model Questions
2 Marks Questions :1. What is the meaning of the term 'Feudalism' ?2. Who constituted the first order ?3. What do you understand by 'monastery' ?4. What are called the Cathedrals ?5. What do you understand by 'The Black Death' ?
5 Marks Questions :1. What was the function of medieval monasteries ?2. Why did Knights become a distinct group ?3. What was the relation between the Church and Society ?4. Describe about the Manorial Estate ?5. Write about the Cathedral - towns ?
10 Marks Questions :1. Write about the Crisis of the Fourteenth Century ?2. What were the factors affecting social and economic relations ?3. Describe about the three orders of French Society ?
Model Answers 2 Marks Questions :1. What is the meaning of the term 'Feudalism' ? Ans. It is derived form the German word 'Feud' which means 'a piece of land', it refers to the kind of society that developed in Medieval France and later in England and Italy.
5. Marks Questions :1. Write about the Cathedral - towns ? Ans. i) From the twelfth century, large churches - called cathedrals were being built in France. ii) These belonged to the monasteries iii) Cathedrals were built of stone. iv) The area around the Cathedrals became more populated and they became centers of Pilgrimage. v) Small towns developed around them.
10 Marks Question : 1. Write about the crisis of the Fourteenth Century. Ans. i) By the early fourteenth centry, Europe's economic expansion slowed down. ii) In 13th Century the warm summers of the Previous 300 years had given way to bitterly cold summers. iii) Seasons for growing crops were reduced by a month. iv) Storms and Oceanic flooding destroyed many farmsteads v) Shortage of pasturage reduced the number of cattle. vi) Population growth was outstripping resources and the immediate result was famine. vii) Trade was hit by a severe shortage of metal money because of the short fall in the output of silver mines in Austria and Serbia. viii) The ships came with rats carrying the deadly bubonic plague infection ( t he Black Death). ix) This Catastrophe, combined with the economic crisis, caused immense social dislocation. x) Serious imbalances were created between agriculture and manufacture.
Passage - based question Expansion in agriculture ................. of the nobility. ( Page No. - 144 & 145)
A Fourth Order Why did the people pay tax to the lords in the town ? People paid a tax to the lords who owned the land on which the town established. What was the population of bigger towns ? about 30,000 What was the 'guild - hall' ? It was a building for ceremonial functions. What the Scandinavian merchants were exchanging ? Exchanged furs and hunting -hawks for cloth.
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